Paul Enriquez

Period 1,3
2-6-15
The change

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot
change anything.- George Bernard Shaw

Im no good at starting essays or finishing them. But I know that I have to write about
something that impacted my life, something that changed me forever. I keep thinking about how
Ill decide my future after high school unlikely,college. I think about how sometimes I dont even
know what Im thinking about, and sometimes I imagine that I did something while in reality it
never happened. I like being alone sometimes,to walk and reflect on my thoughts.
The next year I made a decision that changed my life. My choice was to go to High Tech
High or King Chavez High School. I thought about it and I chose to go to King Chavez. When I
saw the staff and half of the students,the first thing that came to mind was that I made a big
mistake.From the appearance of some soon to be peers I could see that they were the type of
people that would yell at a teacher if they got a bad grade(I witnessed this several times
unfortunately).It was then that I regretted applying to that school and I started the journey to
transfer to the acclaimed Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High.
My first period math teacher (at King Chavez) was my advisor so when it was time for math Id
ask her if I could go to Mr.Dentes room(The special ed teacher). Id work there because,one
time when I when I did work with someone(in math class) all they wanted to do was to copy off
me. He helped me transfer along with the drama teacher which Ill talk about later. My second
period was gym class,When I first saw the gym uniforms I immediately thought we were
convicts or something because they were bright orange and the gym shorts were green. The
locker room was morbid because there was no privacy and the lockers were against the walls
creating an empty space in the middle of the room! everyone was exposed and there was
constant fighting inside. One time someone turned off all the lights in there and there was
fighting but some guy thought it was okay to pelvic thrust another guy against a locker. I
remember that everyone in the room was shocked at the sight of this. The guy who was being
molested was stunned and in shock with what happened to him. The sexual predator got

suspended that day. Everyday we ran a mile with push ups in between in a parking lot right next
to the school. Fridays we would walk to a park to play with soccer balls,footballs,and with
frisbees. A friend of mine(He transferred to High Tech Media) would teach me how to throw a
football,he and I both went on this journey to transfer. After changing in the locker room I would
go downstairs to the drama room, my favorite class because I wanted to use acting skills to
improve my anti-socialness and to be more open with others. I think she was the only teacher
other than the special ed teacher who realized how bad the students were. She was 27-30
years old(I guessed),she had dark red dyed hair,pale skin,and hazel eyes that looked like the
green part you eat from a pistachio. One time in drama class someone filled up a condom with
lotion and threw it at me while,Miss.Beilstein(the drama teacher) yelled at me asking why did I
had a condom on my lap while everyone was laughing at me and I was embarrassed and angry
and frustrated at the class and the person who it. After class I told her what happened,and she
understood that it wasn't me. She helped me improve my confidence and acting skills.
In the halls I remember that most of students were always cursing and class they would brag
about what type of drug they were doing. I was shocked to see boys and girls my age doing that
kind of stuff and even in class. In physics class our teacher was a tall man with a strong build
who had blue eyes,short curly blonde hair,and a peace piercing on the bottom of his left earlobe
also a buttchin. Mr.Mccarty was his name and he was very calm and gentle,even when students
were misbehaving hed resist getting angry and to try to keep calm. One time in physics class it
got so loud that the vice principal came and yelled at the kids causing mischief to calm down.
Mr.Mccarty tried his best to keep things under control. I remember the people sitting at my table
drew pictures of the teacher naked and in a pose leaning against a table. It was wrong on so
many levels. I was like why!? seriously was this necessary? they later made copies of them
and posted them on the halls.
Spanish was the last period of the day and it was the absolute worst. I can't even start to
describe what happened in there,ok so the Spanish teacher came from Spain and he looked
about 45-47 years of age. He had long dark brown hair that reached right above his shoulders
and these huge square glasses complete with a walking cane. He constantly addressed the
class to call him Don Jose. He would always lose his temper whenever someone joked about
his name or make fun of how he talked(he had a weird lisp). The class itself was small and on
the second floor,whenever the room would get loud and heated by the commotion caused by
other students it was like all hell would break loose. I remember one time the students drove
him mad,I mean insanely mad his face was so red it looked like (this is gonna sound gross) it

looked like uncooked meat,you know when its still red in the fridge or something. He was very
stubborn too. At the end of class we'd pack up and go home sometimes Id stay after school to
get help with physics(due to bad the environment). There were bad things and good
things,whoevers reading this is probably oh thats a very bad school to go to well the only
good things that I liked were some of the teachers and my two only friends there:Manuel(hes
the one that goes to High Tech Media)and Adrian. The first time I met Manuel was in a class. He
and I both decided to work together to transfer out of there. Adrian was a boy about my age(I
was 15 at the time). We both met when we were talking about Assassins Creed(a video
game). We both liked the franchise and various other games,I remember that he gave me an
official study guide of Assassins Creed Brotherhood and a special edition book from a video
game called Halo Reach.,From then on we were good friends. Heres a story about the talent
show there I took a big leap out of my comfort zone to do this and because there was a prize(a
15$ gift card for the first 5 people performing) I played a spanish musical piece that nobody
seemed to like because they didnt that type of music. In the end I did not get any gift card even
though there were four acts,but life is full of disappointments just suck it up and move along. In
that year I learned what a bad decision can do,not a day goes by that I regretted that decision.
What can I do thats the past and I can't change it just move on. June 17 2013 was
when I got accepted into High Tech High. I was so excited and genuinely happy because if it
werent for Rachel Hatch and my older brother and sister id never get in. Before my older
brother left to college his freshman year he told me some advice I remember exactly what he
said because I have never forgotten them, he said:Paul over there,theyre going to give you a
lot of work and its due at the end of the week. Theres going to be a lot of distractions,so you
have to stay focused and finish your work on time. The change of schools and social
environment had a massive impact on me because I wasnt prepared to talk/work with others all
the time and presenting for me was terrifying. It was a hard landing for me because I was still
used to being mistreated my peers at King chavez. My teachers and friends helped me a lot to
get used to the environment at High Tech High. I was depressed for some time, and kept
comparing myself to others and felt that I was stupid,I kept telling myself that I wasnt good
enough. Time passed by and I dealt with it by releasing the stress through music. I passed
through sophomore year and onto Junior year where last semester on the Pat/Berggren team
we did a project that I personally will never forget. In that project I learned what it felt like to be
part of a team that was successful and efficient because each one of us each did our parts and
we got the job done well. What I found out myself was that when I set myself toward an

important goal I have a drive within me that will help me to achieve that goal,learning this I found
that I changed.